PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hanho Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cesar Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cesar Rodriguez told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Silva
vs
Rodriguez

183 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hanho Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cesar Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez misses with a wild combination.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Rodriguez.
Silva avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silva looks to land a combination but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Rodriguez misses with a double jab.
Rodriguez looks gassed!
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hanho Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silva.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Silva drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rodriguez takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva advances to mount.
Silva looking to ground and pound but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.
Silva with a couple of short strikes.
Silva putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rodriguez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Silva can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rodriguez is looking to escape.
Silva working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Silva tries to control but Rodriguez wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Rodriguez that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Silva lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Silva throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Rodriguez taking shots to the head.
Silva cracks Rodriguez with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
BOOM! Silva connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Silva lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Silva lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Silva looking to control but Rodriguez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva lands a nice shot to the head.
Silva fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Silva with shots to the head and body - Rodriguez looks very uncomfortable down there.
Rodriguez is bucking up trying to escape but Silva cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Silva trying to control but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Silva lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Silva lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
A nice elbow there by Silva.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Silva thowing shots but they're missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hanho Silva dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rodriguez falls off balance throwing a combination

and Silva counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Silva.
Silva makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Silva works over Rodriguez with some ground and pound from guard.
Rodriguez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Rodriguez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silva.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rodriguez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva passes into half guard.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.
Silva stops Rodriguez from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Silva throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Silva missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Silva throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet.
Silva missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rodriguez blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
No luck for Rodriguez with that takedown attempt.
Silva shoots for a takedown but Rodriguez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rodriguez is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Silva has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Silva misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The ground and pound from Silva seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Silva looking to control but instead Rodriguez has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Rodriguez won't allow Silva to pass to mount.
Silva is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Silva landing strikes from the mount and Rodriguez is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rodriguez is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Silva can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rodriguez is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rodriguez is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hanho Silva dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rodriguez throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.

Rodriguez gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Silva to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Silva is pushing down on Rodriguez's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rodriguez is fighting to maintain full guard but Silva has managed to sneak the leg through.

Silva is trying to work for a kimura but Rodriguez is defending well.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet.
Silva passes to full mount!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva working for a guillotine from mount but Rodriguez is in no mood to give up.
Silva won't let Rodriguez get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Rodriguez in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rodriguez really wants to buck Silva off and get back to his feet.
Silva misses with a head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
You get the feeling that Rodriguez really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Silva throwing strikes here but Rodriguez is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Silva breaks from Rodriguez's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Silva looking to ground and pound but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.
Rodriguez is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Silva thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to finish with strikes here!
Silva putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Rodriguez really wants to buck Silva off and get back to his feet.
Silva misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Silva looking to finish Rodriguez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rodriguez!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rodriguez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Silva.
Silva looking to ground and pound but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.
Rodriguez is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Silva tries to control but Rodriguez wriggling away.
You get the feeling that Rodriguez really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodriguez is bucking up trying to escape but Silva cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Silva can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rodriguez is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hanho Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hanho Silva!